Members of the California Horse Racing Board made a commitment to decide the highly contentious Northern California 2017 racing dates dispute at its regular October meeting, but the regulatory agency could not reach a resolution Oct. 20.

The racetrack at California Exposition and State Fair has been renamed for the late Kirk Breed, who served as executive director of the state horse racing board and was formerly general manager of the state fair.

The California Horse Racing Board announced it has lifted its restrictions on delivery of certain types of Purina feed to trainers after receiving assurance from the company that the products no longer contain zilpaterol.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has approved legislation that increases from 32 to 50 the limit on the daily number of imported races on which a racing association or fair simulcast facility in the state can accept wagers.

A hearing into a complaint against a Sacramento, Calif. horse owner charged with improperly substituting jockey silks in the colors of the Confederate flag for a race at Cal Expo was continued to Aug. 26.

A Sacramento horse owner and the silks custodian at Cal Expo are in trouble with the California Horse Racing Board for allowing a horse to improperly race in the colors of the Confederate flag at the state fair meet July 15.

Racing at California fairs, long supported as one of the best ways to attract new fans for the sport, is losing out to economic considerations while industry representatives fight to remain viable in the northern half of the state.

Race dates for 2010 were approved for California by the state's horse racing board at its meeting Oct. 15, although the panel opted to wait until next month before giving authorization to the Northern California fair circuit, which requested more time to sort out details.

Live racing at Bay Meadows Race Course would end with the conclusion of the San Mateo County Fair race meet Aug. 18, 2008, under a dates plan given preliminary approval by the California Horse Racing Board's strategic planning committee Sept. 20.

California fairs offer a realistic option for horse racing's future at a time when two major racetracks in the state are facing redevelopment and other privately held venues are pressured by stockholders for greater revenue returns amid escalating property values.

Trying to cure a scheduling headache, the California Horse Racing Board has started planning for the future -- with or without Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park. At an Aug. 10 meeting at Del Mar, the CHRB's dates committee took the first step in piecing together a cohesive three-year calendar.

Reducing the dates calendar while increasing the overall quality of racing and the possible closure of two major racing facilities remained the focus of the California Horse Racing Board's "Strategic Alliance Planning Committee," which met for the second time at Del Mar on Aug. 28.

Hollywood Park, in an agreement hammered out with horse owners, will restructure its overnight purses for the upcoming Autumn meeting and will also cut back the total number of racing days after losing its turf course, the California Horse Racing Board was told Nov. 3. The track has cut 11 stakes races worth $2.3 million as a result of the turf problem.

Thoroughbred owners and trainers are willing to forgo racing dates at the State Fair in Sacramento this summer to allow for harness racing, but moving out of Fairplex Park for a new harness meet in Southern California is another matter.

A report to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the state should consider a reorganization of district agricultural associations and the state fair, as well as the sale of the Del Mar Fairgounds to private interests.

Meadowlands in New Jersey will team with Capitol Racing in California on a new Wednesday pick six designed to tie into all wagering outlets in the Golden State, where the bet traditionally has generated the most action.

Capitol Racing and the California Exposition and State Fair reached a two-year agreement July 28, but it's possible the contract for the Standardbred meet at Cal Expo will be put out for bid in the future.

The California Horse Racing Board granted a conditional license to Capitol Racing Association on July 24 to continue to operate a harness meeting at Cal Expo in Sacramento, contingent on it settling a lawsuit with the fair over its lease arrangement.

Cal Expo will provide a portion of its harness racing handle to support a Sacramento, Calif., homeless shelter facing possible closure under an agreement announced June 6 by a California state assemblyman and exposition officials.

The general manager of California's only Standardbred racing association said it's unfair for harness horsemen to be lumped into the same workers' compensation insurance category as those who race Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. He called the premiums "outrageous" and said the state needs to take action.